Washing machine cabinet



March 4, 1941. M, 5 VINCENT 2,234,014

Filed April 19, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENT OR.

ATTORNEYS March 4, 1941. vlNCENT 2,234,014

WASHING MACHINE CABINET Filed April 19, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 w s i 1' l2 5 i i l g i l5 i //:3 a 4 s I s 5 D 4 i I rr '2 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 4, i941 UNITED. STATES PATIENT OFFICE WA SHINGIZZZEECABINET Merlin 8. Vincent, Newton, Iowa Application April 19, 1937, Serial No. 137,643

1 Claim.

This invention relates to the structure of a domestic washing machine cabinet,- For many years, washing machine tubs have been drawn steel, cup-like vessels with the top edge finished by an inverted U-shap'ed bead extending outwardly beyond the outside diameter of the tub.

About three quarters of an inch under the top of this bead was rolled an inwardly extending horizontal U-shaped bead which served the dual purpose of splash ring and a shoulder upon which to rest the'tub cover. readily and easily made by the natural and normal manufacturing methods.

Such tubs could be easily surrounded by a skirt or cabinet because the plain cylindrical cabinet could be applied outside the tub as with its top edge extending under the top extending bead.

Although these tubs were entirely successful from the practical viewpoint, they were open to objections from the artistic viewpoint because the top of the cylindrically shaped washers as controlled by the tub showed a rather abrupt, cut-ofi, appearance. The washers would be much more artistic if the top or tub were a finished rounded curve.

As a result of this artistic criticism and in the face of increased manufacturing difilculties and costs, the tub manufacturers have recently been makin what is known as a bullet nosed tub which has an inwardly curved top as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings herewith. These tubs are becoming much in vogue.

It is common practice among the washing machine manufacturers toapply cabinets or skirts to the higher priced machines in their line of washers. Now with the new bullet nosed tubs, the application of such skirts is complicated and much more dimcult.

It is to this problem that the present invention is directed. The particular object of the invention is to provide a cabinet structure for bullet nosed tubs that retains or enhances the artistic These tubs were bers l2.

' rality of which in my design completely surround the tub Ill. The numeral l3 shows an upright 10 steel leg to which are attached the cabinet mem- It will be appreciated that the legs I3 support the tub, the washer mechanism and on their. lower ends, mount the casters on which the complete machine is moved. In fact, the legs l3 are the main vertical structure members of my cabinet.

On top of the cabinet members I2 is a rubber ring member it which completely covers the upper edge of the cabinet sections l2 and is retained in position by the top bead ll over the cabinet members l2 and attached to the leg members l3 are the concealed clip members l5, all attached to the leg members l3 by the screws it. These screws I6, as illustrated, are of the self tapping variety. The finished strips l1 attach over the points of the cabinet members i2 completely covering these vertical edges and are snapped into position by the concealed snap fas- 0 teners l5.

It will be appreciated that these finished strip members may be put on after the cabinet has been completed and after it has been painted.

Further, that these strip members may be finished by electro-plating or any other desirable method of finishing to form a contrast with the finish on the cabinet members I2, thus obtaining artistic finish effects.

The numeral l8 shows a conventional tub cover which is finished on its peripheral edge by a rubber ring l9.

Although this is a normal conventional structure, attention is called to the fact that by my particular construction, the top line of the cabinet complete is made in a graceful curve and thus the artistic objection to the older constructions which were rather square at the top is eifectively avoided.

The structure shown is the preferred embodiment of my invention, however, I do not wish to be limited to any particular structure, except as by the following claim.

I now claim as new:

In a washing machine tub construction in its rim portion turned inwardly and then outwardly circumierentially thereoi to provide an outwardly open U-shaped channel about the tub rim, a plurality of sheet metal strips providing a skirt member extending about a substantial part or the side wall of said tub member and curved inwardly alongits upper edge and disposed within said U-shaped channel, a resilient l0 material disposed in said channel and enclosing the said edge portion oi said skirt member, said skirt strips having vertically extending side edges. the adjacent side edges oi adjacent strips being disposed in edge to edge relation to one another, means securing said skirt strips rigidly together along said side edges, and a vertically extending stripping member extending along and over each joint between said side-edges and covering said securing means, said stripping member being fastened to said skirt by concealed iastenings.

MERLIN s. VINCENT. 

